On the topic of "rebuilding" the Republican Party, there's a lot of pest removal that will be required, not just at the candidate and office-holder level, but within the party itself. Trump has turned the GOP into a money well that it's fracking, and it's going to be extremely difficult to excise the parasite that's feeding so vigorously right now:
"In the first half of 2024, federal campaigns and PACs have spent nearly $3.2 million on Trump businesses, more than 80% of which came from Trump’s own campaign and associated groups. The biggest chunk – about $1.9 million – was spent by Trump’s campaign and fundraising committees on a Trump-owned company that operates his jet."
"In total, campaigns and committees have spent more than $1 million at Mar-a-Lago so far this year, and about $200,000 at other Trump hotels and resorts."
"Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, said that 'committees are paying the fair market rate for all venues and services' provided by Trump businesses."
"The dynamic of candidates shelling out thousands on Trump’s businesses while vying for his endorsement – which can make or break Republican campaigns – is an example of how politics has boosted his businesses’ bottom line. And the former president’s influence helps explain why some candidates are traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to show up at a Trump hotel or resort, campaign finance experts said."
"'He’s clearly now in complete control of the Republican Party,' said Daniel Weiner, director of the Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program. 'Patronizing his businesses has become one of the accepted ways that candidates and public officials express their loyalty to the party’s leader.'"
Makes one wonder how many GOP candidates will lose winnable races this cycle because resources that could have been used for outreach or get-out-the-vote operations have been siphoned into Trump's personal piggy bank.
Kind of says it all doesn't it Chris? The con started 50 years ago and still plows on. The republican party has become a giant grift machine where every huckster willing to sell his/her soul then has a hope of dipping their toe in the well of trump.
For me personally, I realize that with Harris, like Biden, I'll oppose a lot of the policy. I'm relying on Republicans in Congress to do what they do best and say "no" to stop the worst bills from getting through.
But I am happy. I'm happy that Kamala looks like she's going to win and happy that Donald Trump is going to lose again. I'll cast my vote for her joyfully, but I do agree that the two sides need to reach out and start talking to each other rather than past each other.
Democrats aren't child-sacrificing communist demonrats and Republicans aren't all red-hat wearing authoritarian wannabes. If we start talking to actual people on the other side rather than internet bots and being told by our side what the other side thinks, we'll start realizing that we are all humans in this together.
Which Biden policies did you oppose? Could be wrong but what I remember is you supporting Biden policies in most instances to demonize Trump. Maybe the China tariffs but you still demonized Trump.
"The desire to become a Jacobin, a useful drone of vengeance, against your own neighbors and family, exhibiting a smug righteousness, doesn’t help to rebuild the GOP. It doesn’t help to build a political city or party that promotes values conservatives believe in."
Is anyone actually doing this, or is this a fear driven out of smoke? Harris Republicans currently have ZERO power within the GOP party apparatus to be the force you're afraid of.
At a party level, should Harris win and the GOP have its "come to Jesus" moment, I absolutely will go full Jacobin (to the extent I'm able as a mere GOP voter) on those who served in positions of power and promoted the #MAGA lies. Those are the people who gave us Kamala Harris (Nikki Haley would be running away with this race), and they deserve a permanent exile from politics for their sustained poor judgement and cowardice since 2016.
On a neighborhood level, I might rib the fellows who yelled at me that "Trump is your president, too!" and spread their gaslighted-ness to others, but it will be minor, with an aim towards getting back to work together on the stuff that's actually issues in our local community.
In general, I don't see the Never Trumpers agitating for a pogrom against their Trump-supporting neighbors. We'll just be thankful that a crisis has been averted (yet again), and praying that the actuarial tables make the need for a Three-Peat unnecessary. Within the bounds of NORMAL politics, we'll be standing on the front lines against whatever statist shenanigans Harris and the Democrats have in mind. But we can't do that until we toss ABNORMAL politics into the trash heap of history.
That all said, even worrying about how Never Trumpers will treat their neighbors is putting the cart before the horse. We're still in an election cycle with two very strongly divided camps with many weeks between now and November. There's still plenty that can and will happen (my money is on Trump ditching Vance), and its premature to be worried about how Harris's temporary allies will convert to permanent ones after her inevitable election.
I hope you’re right but that’s not what I’m picking up from folks who I respect and are undeniably conservative and also Never Trump. I think there’ll be a great deal of blaming and feuding. But I am not as optimistic as you.
Just keep in mind that there are a lot of people who monetize blaming and feuding for online engagement and audiences. I'd keep a closer eye on your local party apparatus and local gov't before giving the outrage merchants (and there are plenty on the Never Trump side) too much credit.
Then don’t be like Trump. Be better. And as for the Republicans for Harris yard signs, I’ll wager I see at least one of them driving around Fulton County. Vote for Harris if you must, just be careful how long you dwell in Sodom.
It's also amusing that you think that supporting Harris is "dwelling in Sodom", given the some of sexual proclivities of Trump himself and his fellow travelers and allies, who have defined sexual deviancy downward in the GOP, aided by the faith community and their endless supplies of "mulligans".
There’s a difference between Trump personally being a lech and philanderer, but having public support for those who aren’t, versus a Democrat Party having platforms based on unbiblical identity politics. Of course, there’s plenty of defects on both sides, but I am mostly talking about the D’s obsession with abortion.
Sorry, which party is focused on identity politics and obsessed with abortion? I'm just trying to recall how both the RNC and DNC went and what the actual positions of the parties are at this time.
"It’s one thing to argue that abortion should be left up to the states, which is a position of disagreement among pro-lifers of good faith and one to which I am sympathetic. Trump has on several occasions gone beyond that by criticizing state laws, such as the Florida heartbeat bill signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, as 'too harsh,' but such criticism was left out of the RNC platform that Trump endorsed."
"The latest Truth Social post is different. The idea that his administration would be 'great' for 'reproductive rights' is hard to interpret in any other way than as an affirmatively pro-choice statement. By the common usage of the term, if you support reproductive rights it means you want broader access to abortion."
This is also one of those "all else being equal" sorta things, assumedly - and are you really saying that the Republican and Democratic parties are anywhere near equal at this time?
Steve, I guess you had a bad day. I saw Panetta, Gallegos, and others stand for Veteran’s rights, health , and respect. I heard Country first; that does not include building the house exclusive to Dems. I heard and feel strongly about public education support ,,,,,taking care of teachers and lengthening the school year to teach skill set that will allow us to compete internationally and help build a middle class not living paycheck to paycheck. Centrist/ liberal Dems, moderate and conservative reps, all need to address how to protect and respect our constitution; seriously addressing healthcare,,,,,,,drug costs, infrastructure modernization, worship of dictators, without demonizing others, yet as was shown, speaking in simple terms to educate and explain ‘WHY.’ The rabid fringes on the left and on the right do enough demonizing quite well. Regarding support for Kamala, we’ll right now the democracy does depend on stopping trump and the insanity of the 2025 playbook. We can at least then, have a chance and opportunity to build bi partisanship and Country before party thinking once again. Be well
Steve, You write "The desire to become a Jacobin, a useful drone of vengeance, against your own neighbors and family, exhibiting a smug righteousness, doesn’t help to rebuild the GOP." I beg your pardon. Has not Trump been all Jacobin...a "drone of vengeance" and "smug in righteousness " since he rode down the escalator in 2015 and more so since 2020? Relationships with family and friends have splintered, if not completely shattered. He has instilled fear of political violence by his supporters. I suspect you live in an urban area that is politically purple and maybe even blue. For those of us in the more rural areas that are heavily red, the fear of political violence is real. There is no way anyone is going to put up a Republicans for Harris yard sign.
That "drone of vengeance" has been flying all over the Republican party, purging it of anyone deemed insufficiently loyal, since Trump was elected.
As a former Republican voter, there is no Republican Party. It has been taken over. Your comparison to the Republican Party with a city of broken windows and mold infested skyscrapers" makes me think of white flight. How many of those folks are waiting to go back to their old neighborhoods? Republicans welcomed the vandals into their party. It is not salvageable. True conservatives will have to build a new party. Rather than starting from scratch, maybe true conservatives will find a home in another party like the American Constitution Party.
I disagree with pardoning those who were prosecuted for Jan 6. If there is no accountability it will just go further the next time. I do feel sentences should be reduced, which many were. I also don't feel the rioters during George Floyd protests should be pardoned either.
Right now we have allot of tribalism happening on both sides. We all need to talk and the foreign bots, and party agitators, who demonize the other side needs to be marginalized and the cool heads prevail.
Wa r with the Iran or China or both! Lying to Americans every time they open their mouth about Biden’s health and also many other things. Trump lies and Harris lies but she has the media to cover for her! She has no policy proposals other than spend, spend and spend. She would be weak with our enemies. She is an empty vessel. There is no comparison to Trump. Trump sends a strong message to our enemies, she sends “love and joy”. I reserve that for my family and friends not for the leader of the country!
The GOP is talking about bombing Mexico and would love a war with Iran.
Trump is the one who gets press to cover for him: he's held to a different standard, otherwise the press would be talking about how old and demented he sounds.
Harris has policy proposals out, you just haven't bothered to listen.
Spending is bipartisan - what matters is what it's spent on. Democrats have focused on infrastructure and people: Trump will cut income taxes and raise sales taxes ('cause that's effectively what tariffs are) without reducing spending.
Here's a question: who are our enemies, and how does Trump treat them compared to the current admin?
Compromise is what moderates the moronic tendencies of both sides. So I agree it’s not healthy for one side to control all 3 elected parts of government.
I think trump is worse than Harris. But doesn’t mean I think Harris is great. And I don’t want to see the Dems have a blank check either.
On the topic of "rebuilding" the Republican Party, there's a lot of pest removal that will be required, not just at the candidate and office-holder level, but within the party itself. Trump has turned the GOP into a money well that it's fracking, and it's going to be extremely difficult to excise the parasite that's feeding so vigorously right now:
"In the first half of 2024, federal campaigns and PACs have spent nearly $3.2 million on Trump businesses, more than 80% of which came from Trump’s own campaign and associated groups. The biggest chunk – about $1.9 million – was spent by Trump’s campaign and fundraising committees on a Trump-owned company that operates his jet."
"In total, campaigns and committees have spent more than $1 million at Mar-a-Lago so far this year, and about $200,000 at other Trump hotels and resorts."
"Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, said that 'committees are paying the fair market rate for all venues and services' provided by Trump businesses."
"The dynamic of candidates shelling out thousands on Trump’s businesses while vying for his endorsement – which can make or break Republican campaigns – is an example of how politics has boosted his businesses’ bottom line. And the former president’s influence helps explain why some candidates are traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to show up at a Trump hotel or resort, campaign finance experts said."
"'He’s clearly now in complete control of the Republican Party,' said Daniel Weiner, director of the Brennan Center’s Elections and Government Program. 'Patronizing his businesses has become one of the accepted ways that candidates and public officials express their loyalty to the party’s leader.'"
Makes one wonder how many GOP candidates will lose winnable races this cycle because resources that could have been used for outreach or get-out-the-vote operations have been siphoned into Trump's personal piggy bank.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/23/politics/trump-businesses-campaign-spending-invs/index.html
Kind of says it all doesn't it Chris? The con started 50 years ago and still plows on. The republican party has become a giant grift machine where every huckster willing to sell his/her soul then has a hope of dipping their toe in the well of trump.
Rubes till the end.
Hoping the end comes sooner rather than later.
For me personally, I realize that with Harris, like Biden, I'll oppose a lot of the policy. I'm relying on Republicans in Congress to do what they do best and say "no" to stop the worst bills from getting through.
But I am happy. I'm happy that Kamala looks like she's going to win and happy that Donald Trump is going to lose again. I'll cast my vote for her joyfully, but I do agree that the two sides need to reach out and start talking to each other rather than past each other.
Democrats aren't child-sacrificing communist demonrats and Republicans aren't all red-hat wearing authoritarian wannabes. If we start talking to actual people on the other side rather than internet bots and being told by our side what the other side thinks, we'll start realizing that we are all humans in this together.
Amen brother, Amen.
Which Biden policies did you oppose? Could be wrong but what I remember is you supporting Biden policies in most instances to demonize Trump. Maybe the China tariffs but you still demonized Trump.
"The desire to become a Jacobin, a useful drone of vengeance, against your own neighbors and family, exhibiting a smug righteousness, doesn’t help to rebuild the GOP. It doesn’t help to build a political city or party that promotes values conservatives believe in."
Is anyone actually doing this, or is this a fear driven out of smoke? Harris Republicans currently have ZERO power within the GOP party apparatus to be the force you're afraid of.
At a party level, should Harris win and the GOP have its "come to Jesus" moment, I absolutely will go full Jacobin (to the extent I'm able as a mere GOP voter) on those who served in positions of power and promoted the #MAGA lies. Those are the people who gave us Kamala Harris (Nikki Haley would be running away with this race), and they deserve a permanent exile from politics for their sustained poor judgement and cowardice since 2016.
On a neighborhood level, I might rib the fellows who yelled at me that "Trump is your president, too!" and spread their gaslighted-ness to others, but it will be minor, with an aim towards getting back to work together on the stuff that's actually issues in our local community.
In general, I don't see the Never Trumpers agitating for a pogrom against their Trump-supporting neighbors. We'll just be thankful that a crisis has been averted (yet again), and praying that the actuarial tables make the need for a Three-Peat unnecessary. Within the bounds of NORMAL politics, we'll be standing on the front lines against whatever statist shenanigans Harris and the Democrats have in mind. But we can't do that until we toss ABNORMAL politics into the trash heap of history.
That all said, even worrying about how Never Trumpers will treat their neighbors is putting the cart before the horse. We're still in an election cycle with two very strongly divided camps with many weeks between now and November. There's still plenty that can and will happen (my money is on Trump ditching Vance), and its premature to be worried about how Harris's temporary allies will convert to permanent ones after her inevitable election.
I hope you’re right but that’s not what I’m picking up from folks who I respect and are undeniably conservative and also Never Trump. I think there’ll be a great deal of blaming and feuding. But I am not as optimistic as you.
Just keep in mind that there are a lot of people who monetize blaming and feuding for online engagement and audiences. I'd keep a closer eye on your local party apparatus and local gov't before giving the outrage merchants (and there are plenty on the Never Trump side) too much credit.
"I will absolutely go full Jacobin (to the extention able as a mere GOP voter) on those who served in positions of power and promoted the #MAGA lies."
Chris Karr, Amen and Amen!!!!!
Thanks for something well worth reading and thinking about.
(Also, what's the story with the bees in the article image?)
Bees swarm. Drones. I get lazy looking for images and let AIs do the work. Sometimes the AIs do well. Other times, epic fail and those don’t get used.
Makes sense. I was wondering if I missed (another) meme cycle.
Then don’t be like Trump. Be better. And as for the Republicans for Harris yard signs, I’ll wager I see at least one of them driving around Fulton County. Vote for Harris if you must, just be careful how long you dwell in Sodom.
It's also amusing that you think that supporting Harris is "dwelling in Sodom", given the some of sexual proclivities of Trump himself and his fellow travelers and allies, who have defined sexual deviancy downward in the GOP, aided by the faith community and their endless supplies of "mulligans".
Might need to choose a better metaphor.
There’s a difference between Trump personally being a lech and philanderer, but having public support for those who aren’t, versus a Democrat Party having platforms based on unbiblical identity politics. Of course, there’s plenty of defects on both sides, but I am mostly talking about the D’s obsession with abortion.
Sorry, which party is focused on identity politics and obsessed with abortion? I'm just trying to recall how both the RNC and DNC went and what the actual positions of the parties are at this time.
If I have to associate with a party obsessed with abortion, I’ll take the one obsessed with eliminating it, 10/10 times.
You have my condolences:
"It’s one thing to argue that abortion should be left up to the states, which is a position of disagreement among pro-lifers of good faith and one to which I am sympathetic. Trump has on several occasions gone beyond that by criticizing state laws, such as the Florida heartbeat bill signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, as 'too harsh,' but such criticism was left out of the RNC platform that Trump endorsed."
"The latest Truth Social post is different. The idea that his administration would be 'great' for 'reproductive rights' is hard to interpret in any other way than as an affirmatively pro-choice statement. By the common usage of the term, if you support reproductive rights it means you want broader access to abortion."
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/trumps-abandonment-of-pro-lifers-is-complete/
Outlawing it does not and will not eliminate it.
This is also one of those "all else being equal" sorta things, assumedly - and are you really saying that the Republican and Democratic parties are anywhere near equal at this time?
Steve, I guess you had a bad day. I saw Panetta, Gallegos, and others stand for Veteran’s rights, health , and respect. I heard Country first; that does not include building the house exclusive to Dems. I heard and feel strongly about public education support ,,,,,taking care of teachers and lengthening the school year to teach skill set that will allow us to compete internationally and help build a middle class not living paycheck to paycheck. Centrist/ liberal Dems, moderate and conservative reps, all need to address how to protect and respect our constitution; seriously addressing healthcare,,,,,,,drug costs, infrastructure modernization, worship of dictators, without demonizing others, yet as was shown, speaking in simple terms to educate and explain ‘WHY.’ The rabid fringes on the left and on the right do enough demonizing quite well. Regarding support for Kamala, we’ll right now the democracy does depend on stopping trump and the insanity of the 2025 playbook. We can at least then, have a chance and opportunity to build bi partisanship and Country before party thinking once again. Be well
I have a one word response to you Steve: JOY!
Steve, You write "The desire to become a Jacobin, a useful drone of vengeance, against your own neighbors and family, exhibiting a smug righteousness, doesn’t help to rebuild the GOP." I beg your pardon. Has not Trump been all Jacobin...a "drone of vengeance" and "smug in righteousness " since he rode down the escalator in 2015 and more so since 2020? Relationships with family and friends have splintered, if not completely shattered. He has instilled fear of political violence by his supporters. I suspect you live in an urban area that is politically purple and maybe even blue. For those of us in the more rural areas that are heavily red, the fear of political violence is real. There is no way anyone is going to put up a Republicans for Harris yard sign.
That "drone of vengeance" has been flying all over the Republican party, purging it of anyone deemed insufficiently loyal, since Trump was elected.
As a former Republican voter, there is no Republican Party. It has been taken over. Your comparison to the Republican Party with a city of broken windows and mold infested skyscrapers" makes me think of white flight. How many of those folks are waiting to go back to their old neighborhoods? Republicans welcomed the vandals into their party. It is not salvageable. True conservatives will have to build a new party. Rather than starting from scratch, maybe true conservatives will find a home in another party like the American Constitution Party.
Delusional!
Sorry wrong person.
I disagree with pardoning those who were prosecuted for Jan 6. If there is no accountability it will just go further the next time. I do feel sentences should be reduced, which many were. I also don't feel the rioters during George Floyd protests should be pardoned either.
Right now we have allot of tribalism happening on both sides. We all need to talk and the foreign bots, and party agitators, who demonize the other side needs to be marginalized and the cool heads prevail.
Wa r with the Iran or China or both! Lying to Americans every time they open their mouth about Biden’s health and also many other things. Trump lies and Harris lies but she has the media to cover for her! She has no policy proposals other than spend, spend and spend. She would be weak with our enemies. She is an empty vessel. There is no comparison to Trump. Trump sends a strong message to our enemies, she sends “love and joy”. I reserve that for my family and friends not for the leader of the country!
The GOP is talking about bombing Mexico and would love a war with Iran.
Trump is the one who gets press to cover for him: he's held to a different standard, otherwise the press would be talking about how old and demented he sounds.
Harris has policy proposals out, you just haven't bothered to listen.
Spending is bipartisan - what matters is what it's spent on. Democrats have focused on infrastructure and people: Trump will cut income taxes and raise sales taxes ('cause that's effectively what tariffs are) without reducing spending.
Here's a question: who are our enemies, and how does Trump treat them compared to the current admin?
Compromise is what moderates the moronic tendencies of both sides. So I agree it’s not healthy for one side to control all 3 elected parts of government.
I think trump is worse than Harris. But doesn’t mean I think Harris is great. And I don’t want to see the Dems have a blank check either.